diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 174da5fa..eaea2b46 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ Edit `datasources.json` to add any other additional properties that you require.
       <td>Enable this option to deal with big numbers (BIGINT and DECIMAL columns) in the database. Default is false.</td>
     </tr>
     <tr>
-      <td>timeZone</td>
+      <td>timezone</td>
       <td>String</td>
       <td>The timezone used to store local dates.  Default is ‘local’.</td>
     </tr>
@@ -280,6 +280,45 @@ Example:
 }
 ```
 
+### Date types
+
+For TIMESTAMP and DATE types, use the `dateType` option to specify custom type. By default it is DATETIME.
+
+Example:
+
+```javascript
+{ startTime :
+  { type: Date,
+    dataType: 'timestamp'
+  }
+}
+```
+
+**Note:** When quering a `DATE` type, please be aware that values sent to the server via REST API call will be converted to a Date object using the server timezone. Then, only `YYYY-MM-DD` part of the date will be used for the SQL query.
+
+For example, if the client and the server is in GMT+2 and GMT -2 timezone respectively. Performing the following operation at `02:00 on 2016/11/22` from the client side:
+
+```javascript
+var products = Product.find({where:{expired:new Date(2016,11,22)}});
+```
+
+will result in the REST URL to look like: `/api/Products/?filter={"where":{"expired":"2016-12-21T22:00:00Z"}}` and the SQL will be like this:
+
+```SQL
+SELECT * FROM Product WHERE expired = '2016-12-21'
+```
+which is not correct.
+
+**Solution:** The workaround to avoid such edge case boundaries with timezones is to use the `DATE` type field as a **_string_** type in the LoopBack model definition.
+
+```javascript
+{ birthday :
+  { type: String, 
+    dataType: 'date'
+  }
+}
+```
+
 ### Other types
 
 Convert String / DataSource.Text / DataSource.JSON to the following MySQL types:
@@ -312,18 +351,6 @@ Example: 
 }
 ```
 
-Convert JSON Date types to  datetime or timestamp
-
-Example: 
-
-```javascript
-{ startTime :
-  { type: Date,
-    dataType: 'timestamp'
-  }
-}
-```
-
 ### Enum
 
 Enums are special. Create an Enum using Enum factory:
diff --git a/lib/mysql.js b/lib/mysql.js
index 1b569003..7b6c5f3d 100644
--- a/lib/mysql.js
+++ b/lib/mysql.js
@@ -135,6 +135,9 @@ function generateOptions(settings) {
       charset: s.collation.toUpperCase(), // Correct by docs despite seeming odd.
       supportBigNumbers: s.supportBigNumbers,
       connectionLimit: s.connectionLimit,
+      //prevent mysqljs from converting DATE, DATETIME and TIMESTAMP types
+      //to javascript Date object
+      dateStrings: true,
     };
 
     // Don't configure the DB if the pool can be used for multiple DBs
@@ -307,17 +310,40 @@ MySQL.prototype.updateOrCreate = function(model, data, options, cb) {
   this._modifyOrCreate(model, data, options, fields, cb);
 };
 
-function dateToMysql(val) {
-  return val.getUTCFullYear() + '-' +
-    fillZeros(val.getUTCMonth() + 1) + '-' +
-    fillZeros(val.getUTCDate()) + ' ' +
-    fillZeros(val.getUTCHours()) + ':' +
-    fillZeros(val.getUTCMinutes()) + ':' +
-    fillZeros(val.getUTCSeconds());
+function dateToMysql(dt, tz) {
+  if (!tz || tz == 'local') {
+    return dt.getFullYear() + '-' +
+      fillZeros(dt.getMonth() + 1) + '-' +
+      fillZeros(dt.getDate()) + ' ' +
+      fillZeros(dt.getHours()) + ':' +
+      fillZeros(dt.getMinutes()) + ':' +
+      fillZeros(dt.getSeconds());
+  } else {
+    tz = convertTimezone(tz);
+
+    if (tz !== false && tz !== 0) dt.setTime(dt.getTime() + (tz * 60000));
+
+    return dt.getUTCFullYear() + '-' +
+      fillZeros(dt.getUTCMonth() + 1) + '-' +
+      fillZeros(dt.getUTCDate()) + ' ' +
+      fillZeros(dt.getUTCHours()) + ':' +
+      fillZeros(dt.getUTCMinutes()) + ':' +
+      fillZeros(dt.getUTCSeconds());
+  }
 
   function fillZeros(v) {
     return v < 10 ? '0' + v : v;
   }
+
+  function convertTimezone(tz) {
+    if (tz === 'Z') {
+      return 0;
+    }
+
+    var m = tz.match(/([\+\-\s])(\d\d):?(\d\d)?/);
+    if (m) return (m[1] == '-' ? -1 : 1) * (parseInt(m[2], 10) + ((m[3] ? parseInt(m[3], 10) : 0) / 60)) * 60;
+    return false;
+  }
 }
 
 MySQL.prototype.getInsertedId = function(model, info) {
@@ -356,6 +382,13 @@ MySQL.prototype.toColumnValue = function(prop, val) {
     if (!val.toUTCString) {
       val = new Date(val);
     }
+
+    if (prop.dataType == 'date') {
+      return dateToMysql(val).substring(0, 10);
+    } else if (prop.dataType == 'timestamp' || (prop.mysql && prop.mysql.dataType == 'timestamp')) {
+      var tz = this.client.config.connectionConfig.timezone;
+      return dateToMysql(val, tz);
+    }
     return dateToMysql(val);
   }
   if (prop.type === Boolean) {
@@ -415,10 +448,19 @@ MySQL.prototype.fromColumnValue = function(prop, val) {
         // MySQL allows, unless NO_ZERO_DATE is set, dummy date/time entries
         // new Date() will return Invalid Date for those, so we need to handle
         // those separate.
-        if (val == '0000-00-00 00:00:00') {
+        if (!val || val == '0000-00-00 00:00:00' || val == '0000-00-00') {
           val = null;
         } else {
-          val = new Date(val.toString().replace(/GMT.*$/, 'GMT'));
+          var dateString = val;
+          var tz = this.client.config.connectionConfig.timezone;
+          if (prop.dataType == 'date') {
+            dateString += ' 00:00:00';
+          }
+          //if datatype is timestamp and zimezone is not local - convert to proper timezone
+          if (tz !== 'local' && (prop.dataType == 'timestamp' || (prop.mysql && prop.mysql.dataType == 'timestamp'))) {
+            dateString += ' ' + tz;
+          }
+          return new Date(dateString);
         }
         break;
       case 'Boolean':
diff --git a/test/date_types.test.js b/test/date_types.test.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..4d5b5d13
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/date_types.test.js
@@ -0,0 +1,264 @@
+// Copyright IBM Corp. 2013,2016. All Rights Reserved.
+// Node module: loopback-connector-mysql
+// This file is licensed under the MIT License.
+// License text available at https://opensource.org/licenses/MIT
+
+'use strict';
+require('./init.js');
+var assert = require('assert');
+
+var db, DateModel;
+
+describe('MySQL DATE, DATETTIME, TIMESTAMP types on server with local TZ', function() {
+  var date;
+  var dateOnly = new Date(2015, 10, 25); //2015-12-25
+  var timezone = getTimeZone();
+
+  before(function(done) {
+    prepareModel('local', done);
+  });
+
+  it('should set local timezone in mysql ' + timezone, function(done) {
+    query("SET @@session.time_zone = '" + timezone + "';", function(err) {
+      assert.ok(!err);
+      done();
+    });
+  });
+
+  it('should create a model instance with dates', function(done) {
+    date = new Date();
+    date.setMilliseconds(0);
+    DateModel.create({
+      datetimeField: date,
+      timestampField: date,
+      dateField: dateOnly,
+    }, function(err, obj) {
+      assert.ok(!err);
+      done();
+    });
+  });
+
+  it('should get model instance', function(done) {
+    DateModel.findOne({
+      where: {
+        id: 1,
+      },
+    }, function(err, found) {
+      assert.ok(!err);
+      assert.equal(found.datetimeField.toISOString(), date.toISOString());
+      assert.equal(found.timestampField.toISOString(), date.toISOString());
+      assert.equal(found.dateField.toISOString(), dateOnly.toISOString());
+      done();
+    });
+  });
+
+  it('timestampField shoud equal DEFAULT CURRENT_TIMESTAMP field', function(done) {
+    DateModel.findOne({
+      where: {
+        id: 1,
+      },
+    }, function(err, found) {
+      assert.ok(!err);
+      assert.equal(found.timestampField.toISOString(), found.timestampDefaultField.toISOString());
+      done();
+    });
+  });
+
+  it('should find model instance by datetime field', function(done) {
+    DateModel.findOne({
+      where: {
+        datetimeField: date,
+      },
+    }, function(err, found) {
+      assert.ok(!err);
+      assert.ok(found);
+      assert.equal(found.id, 1);
+      done();
+    });
+  });
+
+  it('should find model instance by timestamp field', function(done) {
+    DateModel.findOne({
+      where: {
+        timestampField: date,
+      },
+    }, function(err, found) {
+      assert.ok(!err);
+      assert.ok(found);
+      assert.equal(found.id, 1);
+      done();
+    });
+  });
+
+  it('should find model instance by date field', function(done) {
+    DateModel.findOne({
+      where: {
+        dateField: dateOnly,
+      },
+    }, function(err, found) {
+      assert.ok(!err);
+      assert.ok(found);
+      assert.equal(found.id, 1);
+      done();
+    });
+  });
+
+  it('should disconnect when done', function(done) {
+    db.disconnect();
+    done();
+  });
+});
+
+describe('MySQL DATE, DATETTIME, TIMESTAMP types on server with non local TZ (+05:30)', function() {
+  var timezone = '+05:30';
+  var date;
+  var dateOnly = new Date(2016, 11, 22); //2015-12-25
+
+  before(function(done) {
+    prepareModel(timezone, done);
+  });
+
+  it('should set session timezone to ' + timezone, function(done) {
+    query("SET @@session.time_zone = '" + timezone + "'", function(err) {
+      assert.ok(!err);
+      done();
+    });
+  });
+
+  it('should create a model instance with dates with TZ: +05:30', function(done) {
+    //set date to current timestamp to comapre with mysql CURRENT_TIMESTAMP from the server
+    date = new Date();
+    date.setMilliseconds(0);
+    DateModel.create({
+      datetimeField: date,
+      timestampField: date,
+      timestampDefaultField: null,
+      dateField: dateOnly,
+    }, function(err, found) {
+      assert.ok(!err);
+      done();
+    });
+  });
+
+  it('should get model instance', function(done) {
+    DateModel.findOne({
+      where: {
+        id: 1,
+      },
+    }, function(err, found) {
+      assert.ok(!err);
+      assert.equal(found.datetimeField.toISOString(), date.toISOString());
+      assert.equal(found.timestampField.toISOString(), date.toISOString());
+      assert.equal(found.dateField.toISOString(), dateOnly.toISOString());
+      done();
+    });
+  });
+
+  it('timestampField shoud equal DEFAULT CURRENT_TIMESTAMP field', function(done) {
+    DateModel.findOne({
+      where: {
+        id: 1,
+      },
+    }, function(err, found) {
+      assert.ok(!err);
+      assert.equal(found.timestampField.toISOString(), found.timestampDefaultField.toISOString());
+      done();
+    });
+  });
+
+  it('should find model instance by datetime field', function(done) {
+    DateModel.findOne({
+      where: {
+        datetimeField: date,
+      },
+    }, function(err, found) {
+      assert.ok(!err);
+      assert.ok(found);
+      assert.equal(found.id, 1);
+      done();
+    });
+  });
+
+  it('should find model instance by timestamp field', function(done) {
+    DateModel.findOne({
+      where: {
+        timestampField: date,
+      },
+    }, function(err, found) {
+      assert.ok(!err);
+      assert.ok(found);
+      assert.equal(found.id, 1);
+      done();
+    });
+  });
+
+  it('should find model instance by date field', function(done) {
+    DateModel.findOne({
+      where: {
+        dateField: dateOnly,
+      },
+    }, function(err, found) {
+      assert.ok(!err);
+      assert.ok(found);
+      assert.equal(found.id, 1);
+      done();
+    });
+  });
+
+  it('set timezone to UTC +00:00', function(done) {
+    query("SET @@session.time_zone = '+00:00'", function(err) {
+      assert.ok(!err);
+      done();
+    });
+  });
+
+  it('now datetime and timestamp field should be different in 330 minutes 5:30 - 0:00', function(done) {
+    DateModel.findOne({
+      where: {
+        id: 1,
+      },
+    }, function(err, found) {
+      assert.ok(!err);
+      var diff = (found.datetimeField.getTime() - found.timestampField.getTime()) / 60000;
+      assert.equal(diff, 330);
+      done();
+    });
+  });
+
+  it('should disconnect when done', function(done) {
+    db.disconnect();
+    done();
+  });
+});
+
+var prepareModel = function(tz, done) {
+  db = getSchema({timezone: tz});
+  DateModel = db.define('DateModel', {
+    id: {type: Number, id: 1, generated: true},
+    datetimeField: {type: Date, dataType: 'datetime', null: false},
+    timestampField: {type: Date, dataType: 'timestamp', null: false},
+    timestampDefaultField: {type: Date, dataType: 'timestamp', null: false},
+    dateField: {type: Date, dataType: 'date', null: false},
+  });
+  // set sql_mode to empty to zero's on date for CURRENT_TIMESTAMP
+  query("SET sql_mode = ''", function(err) {
+    if (err) done(err);
+    db.automigrate(function() {
+      //SET DEFAULT CURRENT_TIMESTAMP for timestampDefaultField
+      query('ALTER TABLE `DateModel` CHANGE COLUMN `timestampDefaultField` ' +
+      '`timestampDefaultField` timestamp NOT NULL DEFAULT CURRENT_TIMESTAMP;', function(err, result) {
+        if (err) done(err);
+        done();
+      });
+    });
+  });
+};
+
+var query = function(sql, cb) {
+  db.adapter.execute(sql, cb);
+};
+
+function getTimeZone() {
+  var offset = new Date().getTimezoneOffset(), o = Math.abs(offset);
+  return (offset < 0 ? '+' : '-') + ('00' + Math.floor(o / 60)).slice(-2) + ':' + ('00' + (o % 60)).slice(-2);
+}